You can’t freeze Sir John’s assets – Court to OSP

The Office of the Special Prosecutor says it will appeal an Accra High Court ruling preventing it from freezing the assets of late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), former CEO of the Forestry Commission.

The Special Prosecutor had frozen the assets of Sir John for further investigation over suspected corruption.

The OSP filed an application at the court for confirmation of the freezing order but the application was today, Tuesday, July 12, 2022, dismissed by an Accra High Court presided over by Her Ladyship, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe.

The OSP in a statement said the judge misunderstood freezing Sir John’s assets to confiscation of his assets and, thus, will appeal the ruling.

“The judge with respect totally misapprehended the application for confirmation of the freezing order and misdirected herself by characterising the application as that of a confiscation order,” the OSP said in a statement.

The OSP commenced investigations into alleged corruption by Sir John after it emerged that he had illegally acquired state lands within the Achimota forest and the Sakumono Ramsar site and willed it to his family members forever.